1Glacierman
Alexander Culbertson (1809–1879), was an American fur trader who founded Fort Benton, Montana, and was a special government agent who played an important role in the negotiations leading to the 1851 treaty of Fort Laramie. Later, Culbertson and his wife Natawista Siksina negotiated with the Blackfoot Confederacy to let the northern Pacific railroad survey of 1853 continue unharmed. Credit to Wikipedia for that short bio.
Culbertson was a fascinating man. He played an essential part in the fur trade and the opening of the West. I list below two biographies.
Wischmann, Leslie. Frontier diplomats : the life and times of Alexander Culbertson and Natoyist-Siksinaʾ . Spokane, WA: Arthur H. Clark, 2000. 400 pp. Later reprinted (2004) by the University of Oklahoma Press. This important work demonstrates the critical part Culbertson's wife, a member of the Kainai or Blood tribe, played in the events of the period. His success in business was due in part to his partnership with his wife. The Kainai were one of the tribes in the Blackfoot Confederacy (Niitsitapi), and therefore Natoyist-Siksina (aka Natowista, etc.) was able to be of great aid in her husband's endeavors.
Holterman, Jack. King of the High Missouri. (np): Jack Holterman, (1987). 239 pp. Trade paperback. ISBN 0-934318-87-5. A very thorough work. Jack spent a lot of time and research on this volume and it is loaded with all sorts of tid-bits not found elsewhere. It was here that I found the true Kainai name of Charles E. Conrad's wife, Kaiyis. I've found the name nowhere else, although we had various English versions of the name by which the Piikuni called her.
Booksellers have a hard time deciding who the publisher was. He used Falcon Press of Missoula as a consultant, but Holterman was actually the publisher. He lived in Nyack, Montana, and the Library of Congress lists that town as the possible place of publication and Jack Holterman as the publisher. It may have been reprinted in 1987 by Globe Pequot Press, but I'm not sure. At any rate, decent copies can be had for $5.00 and up to really silly.
As a side note, my copy of this book bears a presentation inscription from the author's granddaughter.
Culbertson was a fascinating man. He played an essential part in the fur trade and the opening of the West. I list below two biographies.
Wischmann, Leslie. Frontier diplomats : the life and times of Alexander Culbertson and Natoyist-Siksinaʾ . Spokane, WA: Arthur H. Clark, 2000. 400 pp. Later reprinted (2004) by the University of Oklahoma Press. This important work demonstrates the critical part Culbertson's wife, a member of the Kainai or Blood tribe, played in the events of the period. His success in business was due in part to his partnership with his wife. The Kainai were one of the tribes in the Blackfoot Confederacy (Niitsitapi), and therefore Natoyist-Siksina (aka Natowista, etc.) was able to be of great aid in her husband's endeavors.
Holterman, Jack. King of the High Missouri. (np): Jack Holterman, (1987). 239 pp. Trade paperback. ISBN 0-934318-87-5. A very thorough work. Jack spent a lot of time and research on this volume and it is loaded with all sorts of tid-bits not found elsewhere. It was here that I found the true Kainai name of Charles E. Conrad's wife, Kaiyis. I've found the name nowhere else, although we had various English versions of the name by which the Piikuni called her.
Booksellers have a hard time deciding who the publisher was. He used Falcon Press of Missoula as a consultant, but Holterman was actually the publisher. He lived in Nyack, Montana, and the Library of Congress lists that town as the possible place of publication and Jack Holterman as the publisher. It may have been reprinted in 1987 by Globe Pequot Press, but I'm not sure. At any rate, decent copies can be had for $5.00 and up to really silly.
As a side note, my copy of this book bears a presentation inscription from the author's granddaughter.
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